The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-28
CHAPTER XVI.


STRANGE OPERATION
In the morning at o'cock-it the Sd of
March-SQuamb o entered the room where Ter
nah had passed the night He brought some
food-bread piece of cold venison. fruits
jug of strong beer. pitcher of water, and the
different utensils of the table. At the same time
of the blacks placed in one of the corners an
old piece of furniture with toilet necessaries,
towels and other things for the half breeds own
and that of the little girl.
Dy was still asleep BY gesture Zermah had
besought Squambo not to wake her.
When the negro had gone out Zermah asked
the Indian in low voice.
What they going to do with us9"
81 don't know" said Squambo.
"What orders have you had from TexarE"
whether they come from Texar or from
somebody else they these. and you would do
well to conform to them. So long you
here, this room will be yours, and you will be
kept in it during the night"
And during the dayg"
"You walk about the incfosure."
'While are here. But where are we!
where / was told to bring you,"
and we to remain here?"
81 have said what had to say" said the In
dian. sit is useless to ask me more; l shall
not answer"
And Souambo, whose manner gave no hope
of further conversation. left the ROOM
Zermah looked at the girl. A few tears
to her eyes. tears which she at once wiped away.
1t would never do for by, when she awoke, to
see that she had been crying. 1t was necessary
that the child should gradually become accus-
toned to her position, precarious it
might be, for all depended the Spaniard.
zermah' thought over what had passed during
the night. She had seen Mrs. Burbank and
Alice the bank while the boat moved away.
Their desperate appeals their heart-rendering
cries. had reached her. But had they been able
TO get back to Castle House along The tunnel,
reach the beseged and tell James Burbank and
his companions of the misfortunes that had
fallen theml Had they been captured oy the
Spaniard's men. dragged far from Candles
Bay, killed perhapsl If so, James Burbank
would not know that his child had been cari.Na
off with zermah. He would think that his wife,
Alice his daughter, and the half breed had got
away from Marine creek and reached Cedar
Rock in safety. He would then make no imme
date search for their recovery
Surprising that Mrs. Burbank and Alice had
got back to Castle House. and James Burbank
knew everything, was there not cause to fear
that the house had been entered by the assail-
ants, pillaged burnt, destroyed In that case,
what had become of its defendersl If they had
been made prisoners or killed In the struggle,
Zermah could not hope for any assistance On
their part Even if the Northerners had become
masters of the St. Johns she was lost Neither
Gilbert Burbank nor Mars would know that the
sister of one and the wife of the other were i'm
prisoned in the islet in Black creek.
And although these things were SO, and Ter
nah had only herself to look to, her energy
would not leave her She would do all she
could to this child who had perhaps only
her in the world to look to- Her life would
ter in this idea-escapel Not an hour should
pass without her doing something towards
doing
But was it possible to escape from the fortress
watched by Squambo and his companions, to
get away from the ferocious bloodhounds that
prowled round the enclosure, to fly from this
island lost in the thousand wndngs of the
lagoon! Yes, it was possible, but only on con-
dition that she was secretly helped by one of the
slaves who knew the channels of Black creek.
Why should not the temptation of large
ward induce one of the men to help her in her
escape? That was the direction in which she
work.
by had just awoka. The first word she ut
tered was call for her mother Then she
looked round the room The remembrance Of
last nights events returned to her. she saw
the ha breed. and ran to her.
''Good Zermah! Good Zermah!" she muir
INJURED, Il am afraid! am afraid
You must not be afraid my dear"
Where is mammal"
''She will come-soon. We have been obliged
to save ourselves-as you know! We are now
in safety. There is nothing to fear. AS
as they have helped your father, he will come to
u.s.
DIV looked at Zermah, as much as to say
lis that really true!
YES" said zermah, who wished to give the
child confidence at any cost. eyes, MIR. Bur-
bank told to wait for him here"
''But the VINO took away in the boat?r
said the child. returning to the charge.
"They are the servants of MIR. Harvey, my
dear. You know Mr.. Harvey, your fathers
friend who lives at Jacksonville We in his
cottage a Hampton Red
"And Mamma and Alice, VINO were with US,
why they not hereV
MIR. Burbank called them back as they were
going to get into the boat Do you not remem-
Der? AS soon as the naughty men have been
hunted from Candies Bay. they will come and
look for you. Sec owl Don't cry! Don't be
afraid, my DEAR eve if we stay here for some
days. We are wei. hidden. And let me
put you straight"
by kept her eyes obstinately fixed on Zermah,
and Notwithstanding what she had been told. a
heavy sigh escaped her lips. She had not woke
with a smile she usually did. 1t was import
ant to keep her busy to distract her attention.
And Zermah tried to do SO with the most ton
der solcitude. She performed her toilet with
as much if the child were Castle
House. and at the time tried to amuse her
with her stories Then Dy ate little, and Ter
nah shared her first breakfast with her
Now. my dear. if you like, will 60 out
into the enclosure"
.'Is Mr.. Harvey's cottage very nicer asked
the child.
Meet Mop said Zermah ST think it is an
old howell But there trees and water
courses. and place where we walk. We
shall stay here for some days and if you not
too tired, and are very good. mamma will be
pleased
Yes, good Zerman, I will be goodn said the
little girl.
The door of the room was not locked Ter
nah took the chids hand and went out with
her. They first found themselves In the central
redoubt, where it was dark. a moment after
wards they in full daylight beneath the
foliage of the great trees through which the sun
shot its rays.
The enclosure was not large it was about an
acre in extent and of this the block house occu-
pied the greater portion. The palsade which
surrounded it did not allow Zermah to recon
hotter the position OF the island IN the lagoon.
All she could through the old gateway a
tolerably wide channel with troubled
separating it from the neighboring islands. A
woman and cnild could hut find it difficult to
escape Even supposing Zermah could get pos
session of a boat how could she get of the
interminable LABYRINTH She did not know that
Texar aud Squambo alone knew the way, for
the negroes rarely left the block-house. To